GRC Blog

Welcome to the GRC Recorders pages. This blog provides details on all the relevant news of Glamorgan’s scarcer birds, plus all BBRC & WRP decisions that affect us locally. It will also be used to document the status and occurrence of these scarcer species and we welcome contributions from anyone with photographs, artwork or documentation of rarities past, present and future. The GRC also welcomes all seawatching news from around Glamorgan and news of passage migrants in spring & autumn, uncommon birds in our area and unusual behaviour.

All visitors are welcome. You must first register by sending an email to GlamRC@gmail.com before you can contribute. An invite will be sent to your email address. Blog content will be strictly moderated. Access to pages and downloads are available to everyone. All photographs on this blog remain the property of the originator. If you would like to use photos, please arrange permission beforehand.

The Glamorgan Rarities Committee, in conjunction with the Glamorgan Bird Club & Gower Wildlife , have agreed to co-operate with the Welsh Ornithological Society in the sharing of bird records & photographs in the interest of keeping accurate records and to promote birdwatching in North, Mid & South Wales.

Thursday, 30 April 2015

Status of Egyptian Goose in VC41 (Glamorgan)

As most birders in Glamorgan are aware, this species was removed from the Glamorgan List prior to the publication of the last Birds of Glamorgan 1995 (Hurford & Lansdown). In it the authors stated that "There is no evidence to suggest that individuals from the self-supporting feral population in Norfolk wander far from their adopted home". With this information it was subsequently removed and placed in Appendix for birds of unknown origin - probable escapes.

The GRC have now been reviewing this species as to its status in adjacent Welsh & nearby English counties to Glamorgan. With self-supporting feral colonies now just over the channel and speaking to the relevant County Recorders concerned, the GRC have decided to reinstate Egyptian Goose onto the Glamorgan A List.

The criteria for this is as follows:

In cases where there is no evidence to suggest that the bird is an escape - no collection type rings etc., then the bird can be treated as likely to be of feral origin.

All records of birds seen in Glamorgan will be treated as from self-supporting colonies of feral origin, unless proven to be definate escapes, from 1/05/2015.

A description or good photos will be required until 31/12/2015 or if the GRC have reason to ask for a description after that date.

This decision is not retrospective, that is all records prior to this date (01/05/2015) will be treated as birds of unknown origin as per the Birds of Glamorgan. All records from 01/05/2015 of birds of true feral stock, will be treated as good unless proven otherwise and can be listed on the Glamorgan A List.

NOTE: The bird that has been present at Peace Park, Aberdare is considered to be of unknown origin and will not be liable for consideration by the GRC.